Our sincere thanks go to York College for their sponsorship of the event.

Each of the speakers will give a short talk on where IT Project Management is / should be going and their own experiences, good or bad, of past IT Projects from which we can learn valuable lessons. There will then be a discussion open to all those present. We expect that the evening will end between 20:00 and 20:30.

The event will be in rooms 3F090/91. Disabled access is available and there is car parking on the site. Please sign in at reception when you arrive; you will be directed to the rooms. Thank you to Richard Hind, Tutor of IT and Computing at York College, for organising this event.

Directions from A64: York College is based on Sim Balk Lane, which is easily accessed from the A64. Approach the second set of traffic lights in the right hand lane as if heading for Bishopthorpe and take the second left into the College. An immediate left turn takes you onto the main car park. Make your way through the main entrance to reception and from there you will be directed to the room. If you have Sat Nav, the postcode is YO23 2BB.

For those requiring something more substantial than tea or coffee and biscuits, the College has a canteen, open until 6pm, serving hot food and sandwiches. There is also a supermarket nearby, as shown on the map.

About the speakers:

Professor John McDermidJohn is Professor of Software Engineering and leader of the High Integrity Systems Engineering Group (HISE) within the Department of Computer Science at the University of York. He became Head of Department in 2006.

His primary research interests are in high integrity computer systems, especially in safety and security. His work has influenced industrial practice both directly and via standards. He has taught extensively at postgraduate level, including on continuing professional development courses for industry.

Graham KayGraham is an experienced IT Project Management professional with over 20 years experience and demonstrable capability in managing IT systems development and delivery in corporate and SME domains.

He has worked on many projects to enable businesses and clients to extend and leverage their operations particularly in the online space through multiple successful deliveries of e-business and ecommerce solutions. Graham is also PRINCE2 qualified.

Richard CoultasRichard joined York College in November 2009 as the College Quality Assurance Manager following a period of project management overseas. He is now managing a project to introduce a new college MIS and engineer new work processes to support it.

Richard joined the FE sector as an engineering lecturer in 1986 following a long period working in the Middle East and North Africa with a leading UK tractor manufacturer. Richard has occupied many subsequent roles in the sector, developing an in depth knowledge of how FE “works”, and most recently as Director of Quality and Curriculum in one of the UK’s largest and most successful FE Colleges.

Richard left the UK based FE sector in early 2006 to manage a fascinating project, working directly to the Minister for Education in Libya, to establish that country’s first college of vocational education. A three year project, won by a UK based company and valued at £250 million, involved creating a team of Libyan teachers and managers together with building and commissioning a new centre.

Part of the project was to establish an IT infrastructure in an environment that had serious logistical challenges to say the least. The project was successfully concluded in October 2009 and the centre in Tripoli continues to flourish.